It’s all about attention.

Nekole Shapiro is a brilliant birth and trauma expert who I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the past few years.  I’ve seen her in action in groups and one on one, and am always and ever amazed at the breakthroughs that happen when she’s around.

Over years of working with deeply traumatized people, Nekole has adapted Permissive Counseling for birth as a key component of the peer counseling system she teaches.  It’s based on the idea that each of us has the innate ability to heal ourselves… given the right support and tools.  In this model–utilizing just a few key practices that anyone can learn–we heal by helping each other heal.  Just by giving loving attention and following a few simple guidelines.

Each member of the Doula Power group has access to a short how-to on Permissive Counseling (available as a PDF or video) and agrees to practice that model.  It’s simple and powerful, and it’s long overdue.  If this work is going to be sustainable and the profession is going move forward, doulas need a safe place to address their secondary trauma.  Let’s do it together!